The British Liver Trust (BLT) have warned that the “meal for two and bottle of wine” offers from supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s, Marks and Spencer and Waitrose are sending out the message that it is perfectly normal for a person to drink half a bottle of wine at one sitting. The Trust is concerned that the wine, the most profitable part of the offer for the retailer, is being marketed as a staple part of people’s diets and encouraging them to drink this amount on a regular basis.

A half bottle of wine delivers around five units of alcohol. The recommended daily consumption is two to three units for women and three to four units for men. Continue reading →

Charity Diabetes UK has warned that 7 million people in the UK are pre-diabetic, with the likelihood that they have high blood sugar, high blood pressure, are overweight and have a family member with type-2 diabetes.

The treatment for pre-diabetes is some simple lifestyle changes involving weight loss, a healthier diet and increased activity levels. For those, however, who go on to join the 2.6 million with full blown diabetes there is the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and a need for amputation.

The Department for Transport (DFT) has rejected calls from a charity to limit the number of planes flying over national park areas and spoiling the peace and tranquillity that attracts visitors.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), which works for “a beautiful, tranquil and diverse countryside that everyone can value and enjoy” has commissioned research which shows that “tranquillity” is a major reason for city dwellers to visit national parks, and has asked for support from the DFT. However the DFT say that tranquillity is an indefinable and subjective concept which can mean different things to different people, suggesting that some prefer their tranquillity with planes screaming overhead.

Another woman has been in Lincoln Magistrates Court for an involvement in dog-fighting.

Jane Adamson, 38, of Yarm, Cleveland admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a dog and received a ten year ban from keeping a dog, and an 18-month community order.

(See DOG FIGHTERS JAILED, Charity Matters Issue 26, October 2009.)

A combination of live music and social networking has been used by Cancer Research UK to raise awareness of skin cancer among 16-24 year olds. (LIVE UK)

A competition was run inviting people to build the biggest potential guest list of friends signing up for a live music event. The winner got 780 to sign up of which just over 600 attended the London-based concert in August.

The latest edition of the Voluntary Sector Legal Handbook runs to 1056 pages, the result of the “legislative incontinence” of the Labour Government, according to its producers.

The handbook, which is a well-established legal guide for charities, had 152 pages less in the 2001 edition.

Gordon Brown wants to devote himself to charity work, if and when he leaves office.(GQ magazine/Daily Telegraph)

He has commented;”I’m actually shy by nature rather than extrovert, someone who feels that your actions should speak for themselves, but that’s not the way politics works these days.” Continue reading →